What the song is about
A couple has finished a lovely dinner in a restaurant. They call the waiter, ask for the bill, pay by card, ask for a receipt and leave a tip. In the bridge, one person tells the other to put their wallet away because they want to pay for both of them tonight.
Useful words and expressions
- The bill, please.: the standard way to ask for the bill in a restaurant. In American English people often say the check, please.
- Excuse me: a polite way to get the waiter's attention.
- cash or credit: paying with money or with a card.
- Here is my card. / tap it: you tap a card on the machine to pay without contact.
- the total: the full amount you have to pay.
- fair: here it means reasonable, not too expensive.
- a receipt: the paper that shows what you paid. The p is silent: /rɪˈsiːt/.
- to leave a tip: to give extra money to the waiter for good service.
- to brag: to talk proudly about yourself in an annoying way. I don't mean to brag = I'm not trying to show off.
- a treat: something special and enjoyable.
- to foot the bill: an idiom meaning to pay for everything.
- This one is on me. / It's my turn.: ways to say that you will pay this time, or that it is someone's turn to pay.
- Have a good night.: a friendly goodbye in the evening.
Grammar
- Past simple to describe the meal: The evening was perfect, we had so much fun, he gave us his best.
- Polite requests with can: Can you come near? (Could you…? sounds even more polite).
- Imperatives for instructions: Bring it to the table, put it away, tap it right there.
- Present continuous for an action happening now: I'm leaving a tip.
- will for an offer or decision made on the spot: I will gladly foot the bill.
- as soon as: We want to pay as soon as we are able = at the first moment we can.
Careful: lyrics bent for the song
Some lines are shaped by rhyme and rhythm, so don't copy them exactly:
- Can you come near? is unusual. A real customer would say Could you come over, please?
- We are ready to finish our dinner right here is filler to rhyme with near. You would simply say We're ready to pay.
- as soon as we are able is quite formal. In a restaurant you would just say as soon as possible.
- tonight is for free is not natural. Say tonight it's on me or tonight I'm paying.
- Put your money down normally means to pay (to put money on the table), which is the opposite of what the singer means. To stop someone paying, say Put your money away.
- today and great only nearly rhyme.